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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27607304">Strong Drinks &amp; Questionable Truths</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrunkenWinky/pseuds/DrunkenWinky'>DrunkenWinky</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Discord: Dumbledore's Armada, F/M, Firewhisky, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, One Shot, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), Pining, Sirius Black is a Little Shit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:54:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,001</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27607304</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrunkenWinky/pseuds/DrunkenWinky</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus comes to a startling discovery about the witch he's been harboring feelings for. And, with a little help from a certain brand of spirit, he's even more confused.</p><p>One-shot</p><p>Written for Dumbledore Armada's 'Truth or Dare' competition.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Truth or Dare?</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Strong Drinks &amp; Questionable Truths</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">



        <li>In response to a prompt by
            Anonymous in the <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Truth_or_Dare">Truth_or_Dare</a>
          collection.
        </li>
    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <strong>Prompt:</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Truth: (Drink) Firewhiskey</p><p>Thank you to DarkAngelOfSorrowReturns for hosting this comp!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u"> <em> 10th October, 1995 </em> </span>
</p><p> </p><p>A light rain beat down on the two hooded figures as they slowly made their way up the steps of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place in the early hours past midnight. </p><p> </p><p>“After you,” the taller of the two figures intoned in a polite, yet somewhat strained voice, “and do mind the umbrella stand—”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, the umbrella stand,” the second, shorter figure snapped playfully. “I’ll try my best not to invoke the wrath of my long dead, great cousin-aunt.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus chuckled, pushing the door open and allowing Tonks to sweep into the ancestral home of his only remaining best friend.</p><p> </p><p>The two had just finished another grueling shift for the Order. This time, they had tailed Corban Yaxley, an especially shady and slimy git who was a known supporter of Voldemort. And, after the actions they’d witnessed him involved in that night, it only further cemented the sentiment in Remus’s mind.</p><p> </p><p>“Dodgy bloke, Yaxley,” Tonks whispered, pulling off her cloak and hanging it on the spindly coat rack by the door. “Although, I wouldn’t have guessed he’d be into illegal creature fights. Seems he’d think that sort of thing a bit beneath him, to be honest.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus shuttered, recalling the empty eyes of goblins, house elves, and all sorts of magical beings staring out at him from filthy cages. When they’d followed Yaxley to the Lower East Side of muggle London, Remus had thought it odd, but now he understood. The further from Wizarding Society, the further from the eyes and ears of the Ministry. It was a brilliant move, for all of how utterly disgusting it was.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you staying at Grimmauld tonight?” Remus asked quietly, immediately regretting his question the second the words left his lips. He’d been battling the softer feelings he had for the woman, trying and failing not to get caught up in what was sure to simply be infatuation.</p><p> </p><p>Because, truly, Tonks was a young, uniquely beautiful and terribly interesting witch—so, clearly, she wouldn’t be interested in a 35 year old, decrepit werewolf. </p><p> </p><p>Remus was trying to save them both the embarrassment and awkwardness that would surely be a fallout if he were to act on such feelings. Which is why he had no business asking where she planned to lay her head for the remainder of the evening.</p><p> </p><p>Except…</p><p> </p><p>“I was just planning on making myself a quick spot of tea, is all, so I figured I’d ask to see if you might also want—”</p><p> </p><p>“Tea sounds lovely.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus nodded to himself, quickly shuffling past her in the hall to hurry down the back stairs to the kitchen below, smirking as her clumsy footfalls followed behind.</p><p> </p><p>When they reached the bottom landing, Remus spotted a figure seated at the long dining table, hunched over and nursing a short glass of amber liquid, the bottle before him.</p><p> </p><p>“Sirius,” Remus started, surprised and somewhat mortified to have a witness to his and Tonk’s now not-so-private night tea. “What are you doing awake? It’s nearly two in the morning—”</p><p> </p><p>“You know my sleeping schedule has always been tentative at best, Moony,” Sirius grumbled, slowly rolling his neck up to fix the pair with a glassy eyed stare. “Besides, I’m celebrating,” he stated, as if it were overtly apparent.</p><p> </p><p>“Harry had the first meeting of his resistance club today,” Sirius explained, raising his glass in the air and giving an exaggerated salute. “My godson is following in the rebellious footfalls left by his father and us,” a sorrowful light flashed in the man’s grey eyes. “—The Marauders.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus tried to swallow the lump that formed in his throat, but before he could answer his oldest friend the witch behind him surged forward, brushing past to approach her cousin.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s brilliant!” she crowed, throwing her hands in the air and emitting such an unladylike snort that it warmed Remus’ heart. “We’ll celebrate with you.” And with a flourish of her wand, two more short glasses shot from the cupboards to land on the table top.</p><p> </p><p>Remus made his way to them, graciously accepting the offered glass of spirits.</p><p> </p><p>“To Harry Potter,” Tonks announced, a smile fixed firmly on her rose colored lips, “and may his club spell utter ruin for Umbridge, the old cow!”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll drink to that!” Sirius barked, looking much better than he had mere seconds before and throwing back the entire contents of his drink. </p><p> </p><p>Remus brought the rim of his glass to his lips, taking a small sip and grimacing slightly as it burned its way down his throat. Firewhisky—always Padfoot’s go-to.</p><p> </p><p>“So, what are you two doing down here, then?” Sirius asked, tilting his chair back onto two legs. “I've been here all night, and I haven’t seen hair nor hide of Yaxley down here…” </p><p> </p><p>Sirius' eyes flicked to Remus.</p><p> </p><p>“We finished tailing Yaxley hours ago—just having a quick cuppa before bed now,” Tonks said dismissively, helping herself to a seat at the table. “I’m knackered, and Remus was kind enough to offer.”</p><p> </p><p>Sirius shot Remus another accusing, curious look.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, was he?”</p><p> </p><p>“I was going to make one for myself, regardless,” Remus stuttered, finishing his glass of Firewhisky and reaching for the bottle to pour himself another. “It only seemed courteous.”</p><p> </p><p>“Very,” Sirius said in a sly tone—a tone that Remus didn’t like one bit.</p><p> </p><p>The three settled at the table, a comfortable, yet equally uncomfortable silence falling over them, all seemingly lost in their own thoughts.</p><p> </p><p>“Y’know, I don’t work tomorrow,” Tonks suddenly blurted, turning to the two men with a mischievous smirk on her face. “Ever heard of the game ‘Truth or Drink’?” </p><p> </p><p>Sirius threw his head back and laughed. “We’re <em>old</em>, not dead,” he barked, and Remus couldn’t help but flinch at the word choice. ‘<em>Old’ </em> wasn’t a word that he wanted Tonks to associate him with.</p><p> </p><p>“Might’ve even invented it, to be honest—”</p><p> </p><p>“We most certainly didn’t,” Remus muttered, not wanting to play the ‘Tell All or End Up Shite-Faced’ game with a witch he was currently fighting feelings for. He knew, from experience, this game could be...dangerous.</p><p> </p><p>“Then let’s play!” Tonks cheered, helping herself to the bottle between them and topping off her glass.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll ask the first question,” Sirius chuckled, filling his own glass before fixing his two fellows with a look. “Ever fancied anyone involved with the Order?”</p><p> </p><p>Remus choked on the sip he’d been taking, spluttering in a fantastic display of utter bewilderment. Tonks laughed, holding her belly as her eyes swam with mirth. “<em>That’s </em> an obvious yes, then, for Remus,” she snickered.</p><p> </p><p>“No—well, yes—I mean,” Remus fumbled to correct, watching Sirius’ eyes grow to the size of dinner plates in amusement. “What I’m trying to say—” </p><p> </p><p>“Vance?” Sirius goaded.</p><p> </p><p>“For the hundredth time, Padfoot, nothing was ever there!” Remus snapped, glaring at the animagus. How completely mortifying…</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I have.” Tonks practically sang, interrupting the mens bickering. Both Remus and Sirius’ heads snapped to the pink haired, younger woman before them.</p><p> </p><p>“You have?” Remus asked breathlessly, mentally flipping through the Order roster, trying to figure out who it was. Not that it mattered. He shouldn’t care, really, but something that felt a lot like jealousy began to tangle in his guts.</p><p> </p><p>“It was before I was in the Order. It’s rather embarrassing, honestly,” Tonks said, glancing down at the table and blushing so prettily that Remus had to consciously force his gaze away.</p><p> </p><p>“It was during my school days. I had a terribly embarrassing crush on the lad, but alas—it was unrequited love.” Tonks made a sighing sound, her finger tracing the rim of her glass in a way that screamed of someone who was reminiscing on a time long since passed. </p><p> </p><p>Sirius and Remus looked at eachother, raising their eyebrows as they attempted to puzzle it out. Tonks had said school times, so that meant they’d been at Hogwarts together. Both the eldest Weasley boys had been at Hogwarts the same time as she...</p><p> </p><p>“Oh yes,” Tonks continued, not meeting either of the men's gaze. </p><p> </p><p>“I was completely smitten. He was the mysterious, hauntingly beautiful type. And his voice, Merlin, he had a voice that was sinfully delicious. I’d watch him glide through the halls everyday, off to his classes, and just stare longingly after him.” </p><p> </p><p>“What was he?" Sirius asked, brow arched in question. "Some Quidditch bloke who couldn’t be bothered to give you the time of day?”  </p><p> </p><p><em> Yes, very good </em>, Remus thought. Ask her leading questions, and depending upon her answer, it would narrow it down to just which Weasley it was.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh no,” Tonks said, waving her hand dismissively, “he was affiliated with a different crowd, so it just wasn’t meant to be. Still, I harbored this crush for years. I used to scribble our names together all over my notes with little hearts. Stupid, really. Because, one day, he saw them.” </p><p> </p><p>Sirius gasped dramatically, causing Remus to jump, previously unaware of just how invested he’d been in her confessions. Tonks was so young and innocent, he thought. It couldn’t have been half a decade ago she’d been that lovesick teen, during which time he’d been unemployed and practically destitute. It wasn’t fair of him to harbor such untoward feelings for the girl.</p><p> </p><p>“It was <em>mortifying</em>,” Tonks continued, hiding her face in her hands. “I was sitting in Potions, and as the bloke I was utterly head-over-broom for passed me by, he looked down at my doodles and stopped. He must have noticed his name.” </p><p> </p><p>Tonks, so thoroughly into telling her story, pantomimed picking up an object off the table top, pretending to give the imaginary parchment a puzzled look. </p><p> </p><p>“And he said...” </p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, Tonks’ previously bubblegum pink tresses turned jet black, shortening to barely touch her shoulders. Her nose grew long and hooked, her cheekbones shallowed, and her eyes turned from their natural honey brown to almost black.</p><p> </p><p>It was as if Severus Snape’s head was suddenly atop Tonks’ body, and when it opened its mouth, Snape’s voice poured from its lips. </p><p> </p><p>“Miss Tonks...just <em> what </em> do we have here?”</p><p> </p><p>Sirius fell from his chair in a roaring fit, choking on the resulting coughs that followed his outburst. Remus could only stare, completely frozen, his brain having short circuited. </p><p> </p><p>“Did that really happen?” Remus whispered, barely willing to allow the question to escape. Tonks’ normal features snapped back to her face, Severus’ likeness disappearing and revealing a stunned and horrified expression all her own.</p><p> </p><p>“Merlin, NO!” she shouted, apparently bowled over by Remus’ ridiculous assumption, and she quickly found herself joining Sirius on the floor, holding her stomach as she wheezed.</p><p> </p><p>Remus found none of it funny. Obviously, it was all meant to have been a shocking, absurd joke. But, the simple notion that Tonks found fancying the likes of Severus Snape so humorous hit a little too close to home, for Remus.</p><p> </p><p>Remus stood from the table.</p><p> </p><p>“I believe this is where I bid you both a good night. Sirius,” he stiffly said, giving a nod to the man on the floor. “Tonks.”</p><p> </p><p>As he strode from the room, from his embarrassment, Remus’ thoughts began to whirl.</p><p> </p><p>He and Severus were the same age, after all. Was it really so ridiculous to conclude she—</p><p> </p><p>“Remus, wait!”</p><p> </p><p>A small hand caught at the crook of his arm, and Remus mentally kept himself from throwing it off.</p><p> </p><p>“I was joking,” Tonks whispered, now standing so close to him he could smell her shampoo.</p><p> </p><p>Fresh. Floral.</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” Remus replied in hushed tones. “I’m just...tired.”</p><p> </p><p>A lame excuse for just as lame an escape.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright. If you’re sure that’s the truth of it.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus turned, looking into Nymphadora’s sweet, memorizing eyes, trying to convey a thousand words in just one look. </p><p> </p><p>Stay away.</p><p> </p><p>Come closer.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Please. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sure,” he whispered, disengaging himself from her hold and continuing up the creaking stairs to his room. </p><p> </p><p>Remus was positive he’d get no sleep that night, because he was sure to dream of her.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much to Mimifreed for betaing this piece! </p><p>She’s the best, and you should totally check her work out if you haven’t! 💛</p></blockquote></div></div>
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